Internal-combustion engine.



a. A. KROHN. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.25, I912.

1,156,298. P fiented 0015.12, 1915.

WI TNESSES I v I |NVE N TOR W BY WOW 14/5 ATTORNEYS,

GUSTAVE A. KBOHN, OF COARSEGOLD, CALIFORNI INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oer-.12, 15ers.

Application filed April 25,1812. Serial No. 693,101.-

Z'() all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAVE A. KnoHN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Coarsegold, Madera county, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following a specification.

The invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularly to means for igniting the chargeof combustible 1n the cylinder.

The object of the invention is to provide.

other ignition device is also generally 10- cated in the chamber 3, to provide the necessary means for igniting the charge in the cylinder when the engine is started and during that time when it is comparatively cold. This ignition device is not part of my invention and is not used after the engine has become sufliciently heated.

Arranged on the-piston 7and securely attached thereto are a plurality. of thin metallic plates 8, spaced apart from each other and arranged preferably in a vertical position' In the drawing I have shown the plates attached to a central plate or standard 9 which is secured to the piston and preferably thermally insulated therefrom .by a block 12 of asbestos or similar'material.

The plates 8 are made of a metal having the power of rapidly absorbing heat when subjected to a higher temperature and of rapidly losing heat when subjected to a lower. temperature.- These plates are comparatively thin and are spaced from each other so that they may quickly absor'ti=--.ir lose substantially large quantities of heat. The plates arearranged on the piston .so that when it reaches the [end of its movement upward the plates lie in the chamber 3.

The cylinder shown in the drawings is particularly adapted to be used for burning oil fuel which is injected into the cylinder through the port 14 so that it strikes the edges of the: plates 8, preferably at their lower ends.

The plates 8 become heated to a comparatively high degree at each explosion of the charge in the cylinder, and a large proportion of this heat is discharged prior to he explosion of the succeeding charge. .T is

, radiated heat together with the heat produced in compressing the air in the cylinder, raises the temperature of the air to such degree that the fuel is ignited as'it is injected into the cylinder. The fuel is injected at or substantially at the point of highest. compression in the cylinder at which time the temperature of the air in the cylinder is sufficient toimmediately ignite the injected charge. The charge is therefore fired without the aid "of any external ignition means. The charge of fuel is injected into the cylinder under high pressure in the form of a spray so that 'combustion is immediate and complete. The fuel spray is directed against edges of the plates and the fuel on contacting with the plates is immediately volatilized, so that the explosion occurs, simultaneously throughout the chamber. Since the plates move vertically with respect to the fuel inlet and the time of fuel injection may vary with relation to the position of the piston, the plates are arranged vertically sothat the fuel is always projected against all of the plates. v

I- claim:

' I In an internal combustion engine,'a cylinder having a chamber formed in the end thereof, a piston in said cylinder, a plurality of vertically arranged thinmetallic 'plates spaced apart from each other arranged on said-piston and thermally insu-' lated therefrom, said plates being arranged the to lie in said chaml'ier when the piston reaches Um end 01' iis stroke, moans for introducing air into said cylinder and a portarrangcd in thglower nd of said chamber adapter! to permit a charge of combustible to he projeutcd against the edges of said pink sh In tesi'in'imrr vlmreof 1 have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 19th (1:13 of April 1912.

(RUSTAVE A. KROHN. I

In presence of H. i. FROST, I. T. lIuwIcLL. 

